Cover clamping and tucking mecha



Est. 124, 1940. E. F. OLSON COVER CLAMPING AND TUCKlNG MECHANISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACaiL."'-.'..:'

Filed OCC. 7, 1959 4 shzzc=ls-shset 4 Dec. 24, 1940. E p OLSON 2,225,927

covm CLAMPING AND 'FJKJKING MECHANISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Oct. 7, 1939 4 Sheeis-Sheei EL 0 1940. :11.. OLSUH 2,225,927

COVER Ci-AT'JEJ'JJG JLND ING MECHANISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed. m. 7, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVER CLAMPING AND TUCKING IVIECHA- NISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Application ctober7, 1939, Serial No. 298,363

8 Claims.

This invention relates to match booking .machines, having reference more especially to a type of booking machine which is equipped with means for securing match book covers in closed position preparatory to the discharge of the finished books. .A machine of this type is illustrated in Patent No. 1,042,472 dated October 29, 1912, wherein the closing means comprises a bed or shelf upon which the match books, face upward,

m are imposed in succeeding order, the face of each book embodying a foldable cover flap and an end retaining fold therefor, and also comprises a member which overhangs the bed or shelf and moves in contact with and from the flap of each 1 succeeding book in a manner to tuck the free on of the flap under the retaining fold.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means arranged and adapted not only to prevent displacement of the book during the 20 tucking operation but also to insure the uniform insertion .of the free end of the flap under the retaining fold of the cover, which means, in a preferred form, will be hereinafter described; the scope of the invention being expressed in the 25 appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure .1 is an elevation .of a portion of the de livery end of a match .booking machine equipped with mechanism embodying my invention, the

30 various parts being shown in their relative positions immediately upon the completion of the flap tucking operation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the intermittently rotatable flap-folding wheel of 35 the booking machine and the said mechanism associated therewith, thematch books being represented at succeeding flap folding and tucking stages.

Fig. 3 is a section of a portion of the tucker 40 devices and adjuncts.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the book supporting bed and associated devices in a plane adjacent the book clamping members, as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

45 Fig. "5 is a similar section in a plane adjacent the flap tucker members, as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a partial elevation of the bed and associated mechanism at the right of Fig. 2, but

5 showing the various parts in their relative positions preparatory to the ejection of the finished book.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of upper and lower cams for actuating the book clamping and flap 55 straightening devices, respectively, together with presser members for acting on the stapled fold of the cover, showing said cams and presser members as supported by a litter bar for the tucker actuating arm. I r

Fig. '8 is a similar view of the rearward lower 5. portion of the tucker actuating arm and adjuncts, including the flap straightening and tucking devices.

Fig. '9 is a similar View of the book supporting bed showing spaced side stops thereon for the 10 stapled ends of a pair of adjacent books when they are supported by the bed, and showing also the movable clamping members in co-operative relation to the respective stops.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section, as on the line lit-40 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 represents a match book with its folded and unclosed flap preparatory to the tucking operation;

Referring to the drawings, l5 designates a portion of the .main frame at the delivery end of a match booking machine of the type hereinbefore referred to, and 'l 5 designates the main cam shaft extending longitudinally of the machine. I'l designates one of the links of an intermittentlymovable chain of book holders from which books with outwardly-extending closure flaps are ejected in succeeding pairs by means of a plunger [8 on a horizontally reciprocating slide 19, which chain and slide are'operated in timed relation through suitable connections with cams on the shaft it, as usual. v

2 0 designates an intermittently rotatable wheel which is mounted on the frame adjacent the path of the book holders, and which wheel has in and around its periphery equally-spaced pairs of pockets 2] into each succeeding pair of which, in a dwell of the Wheel, the ejected books" are inserted by the plunger I8 with the closure flaps of the books extending outwardly from the wheel. 40 The wheel is actuated in the usual 'manner. Overlying the upper semi-circular path of the Wheel are spaced flap-bending members 22 which terminate in rearward resilient extensions 23 overhanging an adjacent channeled bed 24 supported on the main frame. The cover flaps of each succeeding pair of books in their intermittent travel to the extensions are angularly flexed by themembers 22 and then, while the wheel is at rest, the books are endwise ejected from the pockets of the wheel and upon the bed 24 during the succeeding rearward stroke of the slide It by means of pushers 25 on an overhanging structure 28 carried by the slide Hi. The extensions 23 in the passage of the books thereunder yieldingly press down the folded flaps. The books, in similar endwise and face arrangement, are discharged in pairs from the wheel 20, with the larger or headed ends of the matches leading and the folded flaps of the covers upward.

overhanging the wheel is a movable tucker actuating arm 21 having horizontal and vertical components of motion, which arm in the present instance has at its rearward end a depending portion 28 terminating in a cross-piece 29 in proximity to the bed 24. To the underside of the cross-piece are secured side by side two inverted U-shaped elements 30 whereof the legs freely depend in spaced slots in the bed. The'inner legs 3| of the elements 30 are in close relation and the outer legs 32 are in the path of supporting rolls 33 which, in accordance with my invention, are mounted below the bed for vertical movement, as will presently appear.

Slidably fitted for limited vertical movement in suitably-disposed openings or sockets 34 in the cross-piece 29 and the elements 30 are studs 35 having beveled foot members 36 which are arranged to overlie the cover flaps a of each succeeding pair of books B imposed on the bed. The studs are yieldingly depressed by the action thereon of compression springs 350 which are seated in the sockets, the downward movements of the studs being limited by means, for example, of screws 31 which are threaded in the elements 39 and have their inner ends fitted in guide grooves in the respective studs.

The feet 36, which are of substantial width, constitute pressure members which yieldingly bear upon the opposing cover flaps a and prevent their arching or upward bowing during the operation of the mechanism hereinafter described for tucking the free ends of the flaps under the retaining folds c of the covers at the narrow or stapled ends of the respective books.

The forward end of the tucker arm 21 is pivoted to the upstanding arm 38 of a lever which is fulcrumed on a stud 39 supported by the frame of the booking machine. The inclined depending arm 40 of the lever has a roll 4| which is fitted in the race of a face cam 42 fast on the main shaft l6 of the machine, the contour of the race being such that at a determined interval in each rotation of the cam the lever is oscillated to effect horizontal reciprocation of the tucker arm, as set forth in Patent No. 1,042,472 aforesaid.

In the particular form of booking machine to which I have applied my invention the means for effecting vertical motion of the reciprocating tucker arm includes a lifter bar 43 having at its upper end a roll 44 upon which a suitably-disposed insert 45 in the arm 21 is normaly held by means of a spring connection 46 between the arm 21 and arearwardly extending arm 41 on the lifter bar. The tucker arm is provided on its underside with a depending guide block 48 which is loosely fitted in a circumferential groove in the flap folding wheel. The bar 43 has a bifurcated foot 49 that straddles a shaft 50 having its bearings in a suitably-disposed bracket 5| on the base of the main frame. The shaft 50 is driven from the main shaft I6 by suitable gearing, as 52. The foot of the bar 43 is equipped with a lateral roll 53 which is actuated by a cam 54 fast on the shaft 59, the contour of the cam being such that the lifter is uniformly raised and lowered at determined intervals to effect the rising and permit the falling motion of the reciprocating arm 21 relatively to the cover flaps of the match books supported on the bed 24.

According to my invention simple and efficient means are arranged to clamp the books in proper position on the bed and prevent their displacement thereon, and also to effect and insure the uniform tucking of the cover flaps under the retaining folds. The clamping means comprises blocks 55 fast on the bed adjacent the outer sides of the stapled narrow ends of the respective books, which blocks serve as positive stops which contribute to the correct positioning of the books. A pair of vertical presser levers 56 are mounted and arranged to act against the inner sides of the books at their narrow or basal ends so as to shift the books laterally against the respective blocks, and temporarily clamp the books in place. The levers 56 extend through a central slot 51 in the bed and are pivoted, as at 58, to the end wall of the slot. A spring 59 interposed between the lower arms of the levers forces such arms outwardly and the upper arms inwardly and away from the books. The inner surfaces of the upper arms are oppositely beveled, as at 60, and an overhanging cam head GI having inclined surfaces 62 is arranged to co-act with the bevel surfaces of the levers in a manner to effect the spreading of the upper arms against the action of the spring during the descent of the lifter bar 43 and the tucker arm 21. In the present instance the cam head BI is guided in the vertical bore or channel 63 of a block 64 which is supported by the rearwardly extending arm 41 of the lifter bar 43. The cam head 6| is formed on or secured to a guide rod 65 which extends through a cap plate 66 on the block, the upper protruding end of the rod being threaded and provided with an adjustable stop nut 61. A spring 68, encircling the rod and bearing at its ends against thecap plate and the cam head, maintains the head 6| yieldingly depressed.

The means for tucking the cover flaps in the retaining folds of each pair of books imposed on the bed comprises the outer legs 32 of the elements 30, and a pair of vertical presser levers 69 in spaced co-operative relation to the respective legs. The levers B9 depend in the bed slot 51 and are pivoted, as at 10, to the respective legs 3| of the elements 39, the upper arms of the levers being normally forced outwardly by an interposed spring 1 l. Thus by actuation of the lower arms of the levers the upper arms thereof are positively moved from or yieldingly toward the opposing longitudinal edges of the cover flaps of the respective books B. The inner surfaces of the lower arms are oppositely beveled, as at 12 (Figs. 5 and 6), and the inclined surfaces 13 of an inverted cam head '14 carried by the vertically movable lifter bar 43 is arranged to co-act with the beveled surfaces of the lever arms in a manner to effect during the operation of the lifter bar and against the action of the spring H the periodical spreading of the latter arms. In the present instance the cam head 14 is mounted on a rearwardly extending arm 15 which is affixed to the lifter bar 43 in such relation to the bed 24 that when the bar and therewith the yielding presser feet 36 are elevated, preparatory to the positioning of the books on the bed, the cam head 14 is engaged with the opposing lower arms of the levers 69 and the upper arms are thus maintained in inward or closed position against the action of the spring ll.

brought in contact with the cover flaps, the cam head 14 escapes the levers 69, whereupon the upper arms of the latter impinge the opposing In the descent of the lifter bar, just before the presser feet 35 are edges of the cover flaps, and pinch and straighten the flaps against the respective legs of the elements. Hence during the downward and forward tucking motion of the arm 21 the flaps are held between the respective complementary levers 69 and outer legs 32, thus being uniformly tucked under the retaining folds of the respective books; it being noted that in this operation the presser feet 36 bear upon and prevent the arching or up-bowing of the cover flaps. (See Fig. 10.)

The upper cam head BI is supported in such spaced relation to the lower cam head 14 that in the descent of the lifter bar 43 the bevel ends of the levers 56 are actuated by the cam head 6| to clamp the books in proper position on the bed, and the cam head 14 recedes from the bevel ends of the levers 89 to permit the latter levers to press yieldingly against the opposing edges of the closure flaps and thus pinch them against the opposing legs 32. In the succeeding ascent of the lifter bar after the flaps have been tucked under the retaining folds of the covers, the levers and their respective cams are disengaged, thus permitting the levers to resume their normal condition.

The rolls 33 hereinbefore referred to are mounted on the rearward arms 16 of a pair of horizontal levers which are pivoted, as at H, on,

depending lugs 13 of a bracket 19 supported by the bed. The arms 16 and their rolls 33 are normally urged upward by the action of the springs 88 interposed between the forward lever arms 8! and the underside of the bed. Adjusting screws 82 threaded in the respective arms 8| bear against the bed and afford limiting stops for the levers when the rolls are depressed by the action thereon of the legs 32 of the elements of the tucker mechanism. In the operation of the machine the rolls 33 are moved down and up in contact with the legs 32, thus affording for the tucker arm 2'! and. its appurtenances an efficient yielding anti-friction support during their tucking motions (see Figs. 2 and 3).

The upper surface of the book supporting bed where the narrow ends of the match books are situated is preferably downwardly and forwardly inclined, as at 83, so that downward pressure exerted on the retaining folds of the books during the flap tucking operation will depress such ends and deflect upwardly the free edges of the retaining folds, thus facilitating the free entry thereunder of the respective flaps. As a means to depress the retaining folds a pair of suitablyspaced spring-pressed heads 84 are slidably mounted in the block 64 to depend therefrom similarly to the cam head 6!, the heads 84 being beveled at their lower ends and arranged to overhang the central portions of the respective folds.

During the descent of the lifter bar 43 and the operation of the tucker arms 21 the heads 84 resiliently bear upon and depress the closed ends of the retaining folds, and during the ascent of the lifter bar after the flaps have been tucked, the heads's l are raised from the finished books. In order to ensure the proper vertical relation of the heads 84 to the respective books the arm 41 which carries the block 64 is provided with a depending guide rod 85 slidably fitted in an opening 86 in the bed 24 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 7).

I claim:

1. The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, and means for tucking the flap in the said retaining portion, of a fixed stop supported adjacent one of the longitudinal sides of .the book and in proximity to the flap retaining portion thereof, and a movable member arranged to act upon the opposite side of the book and clamp it against the stop, and means for moving said clamp member toward and from the book in timed relation to the tucking means.

2. The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, and means for tucking the flap in the said retaining portion, of a fixed stop supported adjacent one of the longitudinal sides of the book and in proximity to the flap retaining portion thereof, a clamping and unolamping lever in co-operativerelation to the opposite side of the book, and means for actuating said lever in timed relation to the tucking means.

3. The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, of flap tucking means including spaced members mounted in proximity to the respective longitudinal edges of the flap and having horizontal and vertical components of motion, one of said members also having independent movement toward and from one of the longitudinal edges of the flap, and means for actuating said tucker members.

4. The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, of flap tucking means including spaced members mounted in proximity to the respective longitudinal edges of the flap and having horizontal and vertical components of motion, one of said members also having independent movement toward and from a longitudinal edge of the cover flap, said tucking means also including a resilient member co-acting with the body of the cover flap to prevent the arching or bowing of the flap during the tucking operation, and means for actuating said tucker and resilient members in timed relation.

5. The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, of means including a movable member mounted and arranged to clamp and unclamp a book on said supporting means, flap tucking means including spaced members mounted in proximity to the respective longitudinal edges of the flap and having horizontal and vertical components of motion, one of said members also having independent movement toward and from an edge of the cover flap, said tucking means also including a vertically moving lifter bar, and cam members carried by said lifter bar and arranged in co-operative relation to the said movable clamping and tucker members, respectively.

6. The combination of a bed for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, said bed constructed to permit downward flexure, under pressure, of the retaining end portion of the book, flap tucking means including a tucker member, means including a clamping member for clamping and releasing movements in respect to the retaining portion of the book, a reciprocative head overlying the retaining end portion of the book, a pressure member on said head directly above the adjacent end of the book, a cam member mounted on said head for movement thereby in and out of operative contact with the clamping member, and means for actuating said head in timed relation to the tucker member.

7. The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, of flap tucking mechanism including a tucker arm overhanging the support and having horizontal and vertical components of motion and including also tucker means carried by the arm for acting upon the flap and engaging its free end with the said retaining portion, and a supporting stop limiting the downward movement of the arm, said stop including a vertically movable member and resilient means maintaining said member normally in raised position in opposition to the downward motion of the said tucker arm.

8; The combination with a support for a match book having an open cover flap and a retaining portion for the free end of the flap, of flap tucking mechanism including a tucker arm overhanging the support and having horizontal and vertical components of motion and including also tucker means carried by the arm for acting upon the flap and engaging its free end with the said retaining portion, and a supporting stop limiting the downward movement of the arm, said stop including a roll, a vertically movable support therefor; and resilient means maintaining said support with the roll in raised position in opposition to the downward motion of the said tucker arm.

ERIC P. OLSON. 

